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 THERE'S a virtual United Nations of visitors buzzing around the First Basin, with its neat round-circuit including the swinging bridge and chairlift.
On one side of the suspension bridge is the path less travelled, a track to the disused power station at Duck Reach.
Perhaps the 90-minute estimated round trip is just long enough to discourage day trippers but there's a considerable thinning out of numbers _ over two hours we encounter several joggers, a family of five, some North American tourists and a few solo walkers.
It's 12.20pm when we pull up at the First Basin car park and start our wander.
It's one of those unpredictable spring days _ Monday, this week _ with a strong threat of rain but a distinct possibility of sunburn.
We start along the Duck Reach track's gravel with occasional boarded bridges. The sun's in exactly the right position to place the railing's shadow along the middle of the path, giving the impression of a single, central tramline.
About 15 minutes along we strike a series of uphill zig zags _ if the track's undulations haven't worked you into a sweat then the zig zags will.
The track hugs the steep sides of the gorge, sometimes winding between huge chunks of dolerite, and fairly soon the South Esk broadens into the Second Basin, where river-level trees carry that just-brushed look of recent floodwaters.
Off track a pademelon seems to have missed the memo about being nocturnal but his 1pm scurrying suggests a dawn visitor could expect fauna aplenty.
Occasionally from the track there are glimpses of imposing stone buildings.
These turn out to be houses (now private homes) built in the 1890s for workers on the Duck Reach Power Station and the cul de sac at their foot has the remains of a flying fox that was used to carry people and equipment 107 metres across the busy pre-dam waters of the South Esk.
There are steep steps to a suspension bridge that takes walkers across to an unmanned interpretation centre in the old power station.
Here seven interpretation boards tell the story of Launceston's electrical history.
The boards are illuminated by movement-activated arc lanterns, a mix of old and new if ever there was one.
When Duck Reach was built in 1895 it was the first major supplier of electricity to a city in Australia.
The penstocks, or pipes, still stretching up the steep hills towards Trevallyn Dam, directed power-giving water to the station until it was decommissioned in 1955.
By 1922 the Duck Reach Power Station was providing the oomph to power 586 electric irons and 377 radiators in Launceston.
The station was wiped out by the 1929 floods but rebuilt. Working or not working, the Duck Reach Power Station has been an iconic tourist attraction for Launceston since 1895.
Inside the station, graffiti artists have added their touches among static displays of old equipment.
A steep path takes keen walkers up to the Trevallyn Reserve and a round trip is possible but many walkers would choose, as we did, to return along the same path.
The suspension bridge was first built in 1896, wiped out by floods in 1929 and 1969, but rebuilt each time. Steps lead down to the smooth boulders of the river. It's a superb place for a picnic. Just watch out for rising waters. |
